Affordable "Lightning": An expert explains why Ukraine should claim this Russian development for itself.

Ukraine requires drones similar to the new Russian "Molniya". However, these are not intended for strikes on Russian cities – it won't reach places like Bryansk or Belgorod due to range limitations – but for effectively eliminating Russians along the front lines, as it is ideally suited for this purpose.

During the "Now" program on the YouTube channel of the publication "Telegraph", aviation expert Valery Romanenko explained that the "Molniya" is considered a hybrid of an FPV drone and a traditional "Shahed", with this "device" flying a maximum of 40 kilometers. However, it is very inexpensive.

"For the front lines, this weapon is indeed effective, although the Russians themselves claim that only one out of eight hits the target. This is truly an FPV drone. But we are used to thinking of FPVs as quadcopters, 'Mavics', and other types of vertical takeoff drones, while this is a fixed-wing drone. It has its advantages and disadvantages. The drone is extremely primitive – on one hand, it can simply glide where a 'Mavic' cannot. A 'Mavic' cannot just glide into a small area of electronic warfare because it will encounter it and lose control, while a fixed-wing drone can glide through a small area," the expert explained.

The main advantage of the "Molniya" drone is its cost, which does not exceed 300 US dollars. It can be constructed from sticks, pipes, and the cheapest components available.

"In general, such drones are necessary. You see, they are extremely primitive. The cost is at most 300 dollars. A battery like the one there costs 15 dollars, and the engine – at most 30-40 dollars; the electric motor on this 'Molniya' costs that. Everything else consists of two mop handles and a front motor mount made from a piece of plywood. The battery itself is placed openly on the centerplane, with the warhead in front of it. In other words, it doesn't get any more primitive than this; it’s a record holder for simplicity. Such drones can be made in dozens in the trenches, they are compact and can be used right from there," said Romanenko.

Overall, he noted that if a vast number of such drones are produced, any Russian trench electronic warfare can be easily overcome to strike a target. Despite their simplicity, Ukraine needs many of these drones, as the cheaper it is to hit the occupiers, the more of such drones can be assembled, and the more Russians can be eliminated.

What is known about the "Molniya"

Information regarding the use of the "Molniya" UAV by the Russians began to emerge in May 2024. A distinctive feature of its design is that it is made from aluminum tubes, plywood, foam, and polystyrene. It also utilizes the cheapest Chinese electronics.

Technical specifications:

• wingspan – 1140 cm;
• chord – 200 cm;
• battery – 5000 mAh Li-Ion;
• weight – approximately 5 kg;
• launch from a catapult or by hand;
• range – up to 40 km;
• warhead – up to 3 kilograms;
• production cost – about 300 dollars;
• speed – 20-25 m/s;
• maximum altitude – 3 km;
• communication – ERLS.

It should be noted that the primary advantage of this UAV is its low cost. This allows the enemy to use them en masse for strikes on civilian and military targets in Ukraine.

As reported by "Telegraph", on Tuesday, November 12, Russian military forces attacked Kharkiv with a new drone. They utilized the strike UAV "Molniya". We have gathered all that is known about the new UAV of the Russian occupiers.